Nearly Broken
by SoccerSmartie
Summary: Ron and Hermione have a two and a half year old son. Ron lives in the wizarding world, while Hermione lives in the muggle world. Between raising their child and Hermione and Ron's time consuming careers is their enough time for them to have a realtionship
1. Neglect

**Summary**

**Hermione is living in the muggle world as a crime investigator, with her two and a half year old son. Ron is the father, but lives in the wizarding world. He is a star quidditch player and barely makes time for his son. He is always late to see him or to pick him up. Will Ron get his act together and be there while his son grows up? **

**And when Hermione gets assigned to a devastating case that brings back terrible memories from her childhood it changes her life and makes her realize that she needs Ron. But does Ron _have_ the time to make the commitment? Does he want to? Both of them know they love each other, but they never take the initiative. And if they did, between raising their child and Hermione and Ron'stime consuming careers is their enough time for them to have a relationship? **

**A struggle… an almost broken family… and a life changing event, will it bring them together? Or push them apart?**

**Chapter One**

"Mommy when Daddy goin ta be here?"Two and a half year old Asher Weasley asked impatiently as he and his mom, Hermione Granger, ate popcorn and watched TV.

"I don't know baby. Hopefully soon. Do you want some ice cream while we wait?" Hermione brushed the redhair out of her son's eyes as he yawned helplessly. It was 9:30 PM, and Ron was thirty minutes late as always. Hermione expected it, but her son did not. He worshiped the ground Ron walked on, and always wanted to spend time with him. Hermione wanted to spend time with him too, but Asher didn't understand why his Daddy was almost never around, and Hermione did.

"Iscream! Iscream!" Asher screamed helplessly, running into the kitchen and attempting to jump on the counter. He failed and fell backwards on his bum. Hermione scooped him up and set him on the counter as she opened the freezer.

"Swaberry!" Asher demanded. His speech wasn't very good, he had trouble enunciating most words, but he was getting better. Hermione and he worked on that almost daily.+

"Okay okay," Hermione smiled, before grabbing a small bowl and scooping Asher some strawberry ice cream. She handed him the bowl and he selfishly grabbed it. Hermione turned around to get a spoon, but that didn't stop Asher from eating his ice cream. By the time Hermione turned around to give him a spoon he already had his face in the bowl eating the ice cream.

"Asher!" Hermione scolded as the door to their apartment opened, and sure enough it was Ron.

"Use the spoon," Hermione demanded as Ron walked into the kitchen hugging Hermione briefly and giving her a kiss on the lips before directing his attention to his son, who still refused to use the spoon. Asher hadn't even realized Ron entered the room. He was still sitting on the counter making a mess of himself .

"Asher use the spoon or I will take the ice cream away," Hermione said thrusting the spoon into his hand. Asher soonlooked up and his eyes immediately brightened.

"Daddy! Daddy!" He exclaimed standing up on the counter. He was about to jump and try and get into Ron's arms, even thoughRon was too far away to catch him. Hermione gasped as Asher jumped, still smiling, and luckily Ron moved forward and caught him.

"Hey buddy," he said swinging him through the air. Asher clung to Ron tightly,the strawberry ice cream that was all over his clothes was now on Ron's too.

"I knew the ice cream was a bad idea," Hermione muttered grabbing a wash cloth and cleaning up the mess that was all over the counters.

"Aw it's okay Hermione," Ron said still holding Asher in his arms.

"Yeah? Well you go get him cleaned up then," Hermione said continuing to clean up the mess.

"Okay," Ron started," come on buddy. Let's go get you unsticky!" Ron said to Asher while running into his room and getting him changed into clean pajamas. By the time Ron was done cleaning Asher up Hermione was already asleep on the couch.

Asher was walking out of his room with his stuffed penguin in his arms, yawning, whenRon glanced at the couch and saw Hermione soundly asleep. Asher,not caring that Hermione needed rest,ran over to the couch tripping over his pajama bottoms that were a little too long, and jumped, landing right on Hermione's stomach.

"Wake up Mommy," Asher squealed.

"Ow, Asher honey, okay I am up," Hermione sat up tipping Asher over in the process. He laughed loudly before yawning.

Ron watched silently… smiling at them… he was happy, but he didn't know they weren't. Hermione desperately needed some rest and Asher needed his dad there for him more often.

"Well I am going to take off," Ron said heading towards the door.

"Ron, wait… you just got here," Hermione said picking Asher up and getting off the couch.

"I know, but it looks like he is going to be going to bed soon so…"

"Well stay… you can still spend some time with me," Hermione said awkwardly, smiling she grabbed Ron's hand and pulled him back into the living room.

"Okay," Ron smiled, noticing that Asher was already asleep in Hermione's arms.

"Just hang on. Let me go put him to bed," Hermione said, feeling excited. She and Ron hadn't spent time together in a really long time. Between her job and his and Asher they didn't really have the time to be with each other.

Hermione gentlylaid Asher on the bed and pulled the covers over his small body. He wassmall for his age, never gaining much weight. The doctors were concerned and gave him some medicine that he now had to take everyday. Hermione and Ron, were both worried too, constantly feeding him junk food in hopes of making him gain weight.

Asher had Ron's red hair color and green eyes, but he obviously had Hermione's hair. He had a head full of impossible curly red hair.

'_Good thing he is a boy,'_ Hermione thought, kissing him on the forehead.

Hermione waited a couple of minutes to make sure he was asleep before she went back into the living room to talk to Ron. Ron was sitting on the couch watching TV as he waited. He had become quite accustomed to muggle things since Hermionemovedto the muggle world. She scarcely used magic, and Asher knew nothing about it. At least for now. They would eventually tell him, but as long as Hermione was living in the muggle world he would know nothing of magic.

**A/N: I hope you all like it. This is different from anything I have written, but it came to me and I thought it was a pretty good idea. Please review.**


	2. Stubborn and Selfish

**A/n: Lol, no one seems to like my story, but I shall continue.**

**Chapter Two**

Hermione quietly approached Ron. She wanted to talk to him about him not being quite the 'family guy', but she didn't want to push something upon him that would later bring up so much havoc. She wanted so badly to stress the fact to him that she couldn't raise a child alone. She needed help. She needed rest.

Standing behind Ron, very quietly, Hermione glanced at the TV screen before bending down and resting her chin on his head, her arms resting on his shoulders. He jumped slightly but let out a sigh of relief when he turned around, pushing Hermione off of him gently, realizing who it was.

"Who'd you think it was?" Hermione inquired, after his shocked reaction.

"Nobody," he said coolly turning the TV off and grabbing Hermione's waist and pulling her over the back of the couch causing her to slightly snigger and fall onto the soft cushion, her head landing on his lap. He brushed the hair out of face, and smiled down at her. Hermione sighed contentedly before closing her eyes as Ron combed his fingers through her hair.

Ron hinted that something wasn't quite right with Hermione… he could kind of sense in a way that she was desperately wanting to talk about something, but too shy or afraid. Obviously not wanting to bring it up Hermione turned her head, so she wasn't facing him at all.

An awkward silence took place in that living room for the longest time. Neither wanting to break the silence incase a touchy subject, which they both sensed, would come on. Hermione knew that she wouldn't last much longer… she needed to let everything out. She needed to vent! It was only healthy after all.

"Ron…" Hermione started, sitting upright, but she soon got cut off by Ron.

"I knew it. You have been itching to say something the whole time I was here."

"Well, Ron, can you blame me?" Hermione asked, figuring he thought it was stupid or pointless. She knew he thought he already knew what it was.

"Depends on what it is about? If you are just going to start with that---"

"Ron! We need to talk about this. I can't keep doing this. I refuse to pretend that there is nothing wrong here. Let's be mature adults." Hermione stated firmly, standing up and walking into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. Assuming Ron would want one to; she picked up another one, avoiding the beer that had taken up residence in her fridge thanks to Ron. He adapted to muggle alcohol pretty quickly too.

"Fine, then be mature Hermione. Be an adult. We have this conversation all the time. Every time we ever get any alone time you would rather spend it arguing over a closed case."

"Ron you need to be here for him. He is your son. He loves you so much. He just wants to be around you. Why can't you make a fucking commitment for once? Your job doesn't take up that much time. Come get him after practice. Take him for a couple of days. Something!" Hermione felt herself welling up with tears. Soon they would be pouring like fountains.

Realizing how loud their spew might get, Ron quickly placed a silencing charm around them, hoping not to disturb Hermione's neighbors, and more importantly their son.

Ron let out a frustrated sigh," It is more than practice Hermione. You think that is all I do everyday? Practice? Play some quidditch? Well let me enlighten you something Hermione. That isn't all I do everyday. I have fans. I have places I have to go for these fans. I have to make appearances Mione. I have worked almost my whole life for this job… don't ruin it for me." Ron grabbed the bottle of water out of her hand and took a long sip.

"So you have too many quidditch groupies all over you all day? Are you seriously going to tell me that your fans are more important than your own son? Your own flesh and blood? Seriously?" Hermione could feel her face heating up, and the tears were already trickling down her face.

"Gods, 'Mione. I didn't ask for this okay?" Ron asked, feeling oddly guilty, seeing the tears fall from Hermione's beautiful face, the mascara leaving black trails on her cheeks.

"He didn't ask to be born Ronald!" Hermione was now screaming at the top of her lungs. Ron and Hermione both were now standing in front of each other. Hermione was now stepping on her tiptoes.

"Don't even pull that with me, Hermione! You want me to quit my job?"

"No, I just need you to be here. I know you don't have time, but make the time! Asher needs you he really does." Hermione said, calming down a little.

"He has me. I am his Dad. I am here as much as I can be," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, because he was wrong. He could be there more.

"No, you aren't. Move in with us," Hermione said grabbing his hands.

"You know I can't."

"Then, let us move in with you," Hermione pleaded.

"You love your job. It is too far, and unless one of us quits our jobs, this is as good as it is going to get," Ron's voice was tainted with seriousness, a quality Ron didn't use much.

"That's what I thought too, but then I realized, it has to be better. For Asher. It doesn't matter what we want. Do you know the kinds of things he asks me daily?" Hermione's voice was cracking thinking of the young child's voice as he questioned many things, some of which he shouldn't even realize…

**A/N: Please review. I see all these hits, but no reviews. **


	3. Right Down To The Bitter End

**A/N: Please review if you read this, and if you didn't… could you review for chapter one. **

**Chapter Three**

_Previously…_

"_Then, let us move in with you," Hermione pleaded._

"_You love your job. It is too far, and unless one of us quits our jobs, this is as good as it is going to get," Ron's voice was tainted with seriousness, a quality Ron didn't use much. _

"_That's what I thought too, but then I realized, it has to be better. For Asher. It doesn't matter what we want. Do you know the kinds of things he asks me daily?" Hermione's voice was cracking thinking of the young child's voice as he questioned many things, some of which he shouldn't even realize._

Now...

Ron looked at her absolutely dumbfounded, shaking his head no.

"When's Daddy going to be here? Or can I see Daddy soon? Or how come Daddy doesn't live here? How come—"

"Stop it Hermione! Damn." Ron's face was now redder than his hair. He could barely contain himself. Ron made an attempt to wipe the tears out of her face and give her a hug, but she roughly pushed him away.

"No! You can't keep doing this to me. To him. Asher needs a Dad," Hermione cried, sitting on the couch and putting her head in her hands, crying hysterically.

"I am here as much as I can be," Ron had trouble getting the words out.

"Keep telling yourself that, Ron. Let me give you a little tip: Do not miss his childhood, you will regret it," Hermione fumed.

"You know what Hermione? I told you I was around as much as I could be. How about I don't fucking come around at all unless it is to get Asher?"

"Fine! If you really want to stop seeing each other then that's fine. You have to take Asher at least one week a month," Hermione then stormed into her bedroom feeling loneliness soon wash over her anger. Was it really over? Hermione felt her heart leap at that thought, and not in a good way. Perhaps it would be better if she just went in there and fixed things. She had not heard the door open or close so she assumed he was still in there.

But then again, why should she apologize? She was in the right! He was wrong! He was an ass, and maybe something would change that, but Hermione realized that her rants would not. It was like she was on a never ending rollercoaster. Their relationship had its ups and downs, and lately it was mostly downs. They only ever talked about the same thing, and it had always ended the same way except for this time.

Hermione replayed the argument in her mind, making sure she had heard him right. Had he really ended things? Did she just let it happen?

'_No, he's the love of my life. This has to be a mistake. Everything will go back to the way it once was… before Asher." _Hermione definitely was not saying that she wished Asher had never happened. He was a mistake after all, but once she had him she didn't really have any regrets, and she had thought Ron felt the same way.

It wasn't the little boy's fault that Ron and Hermione had sex. It wasn't his fault that they kept him, and honestly the thought of have an abortion never crossed Hermione's mind. She was completely against it, and would never under any circumstances have an abortion. Unless of course it was a life or death situation in which Hermione would most likely pick life. She had thought of putting him up for adoption, but she realized once he was born, she loved him too much.

It didn't matter that he was just a drunken mistake. But before that night Ron and Hermione's relationship had been great…filled with love and support. They were the couple you wanted to be. Ron was happy about the baby…he was… ecstatic.

Once Asher came everything changed. Their relationship died. Neither of them really wanted to accept it which was why it continued. So perhaps it was better that it ended. Maybe it was for the best. It was after all a lost case… but Hermione still had the memories of their happiness imprinted in her mind. And to think… if they hadn't had Asher they would probably be happily married now, but Hermione wouldn't trade in Asher for anything.

Hermione had made it to her bedroom, and she collapsed uneasily on the soft mattress, sleep almost instantly taking over her. She was exhausted, and even the scary thoughts of not being with Ron anymore could keep her awake. It all seeming to float away on a cloud as sleep came over her.

**A/N: Shorter chapter. I know, but please review. **


	4. Asher Weasley Gone MIA

**A/N: Grr...I have been trying to upload this chapter for days! Oh well. **

**Chapter Four**

When Hermione woke up the next morning and saw her face in the mirror she nearly had a heart attack. She knew she had been upset the night before, but not that upset. Her makeup was running down her face, and if it had not been for the fact that Asher usually slept until she woke him, she wouldn't have had the chance to wash it all off of her face.

Hermione took a nice long warm shower before quickly getting ready for work. She studied herself in the mirror unsurely. She had never considered herself gorgeous. She was tall, which made her stand out, but she wasn't unusually tall. It was her warm honey eyes and lengthy curly brown hair that made people mistake her for pretty. All in all, she had broad shoulders and an athletic body. Never pondering it much, Hermione just shrugged and quickly brushed her hair into a sloppy bun.

By ten Hermione had Asher dropped off at daycare, figuring that after the fight last night Ron wouldn't want to take him, and had safely made it to work, breakfast in hand.

"Hermione, thank god you're here. You're late you know?" Her boss, Greg Holms, said angrily yet he had a tint of relief in his voice.

"Yeah, sorry, I had to make a pit stop," she said handing him the untouched cup of coffee that had been in her hand. He looked at her unsurely and she gave him a quick nod with a smile, before walking to her office.

By lunch, she officially discovered she had no life. It had been a quiet day, no crimes committed that couldn't be fixed by a local cop, yet she hadn't had any calls from friends or family. It was different for her partner, Sam Brody, who had had about twenty calls from friends. Sam was attractive, even Hermione would admit it; he had a warm smile and great sense of humor. He was quite the people person.

Sam and she were good friends, spending most of their days together, due to their jobs. Sam… as embarrassing as it was for Hermione to say… probably saw Asher more than Ron did. Hermione usually brought him with her to work in the mornings until ten, when she dropped him off at daycare. Sam and Hermione usually didn't get many calls during the morning, which they couldn't pawn off, but if they did, Hermione could usually rely on Ginny or Ron to come and get him.

They were crime investigators, a career which wasn't a good one to have while raising a child basically on your own.

The day was oddly boring for them. For the first time in weeks they didn't have a case to work on, all they had to do was paperwork. Soon, it was time for Hermione to leave and pick Asher up from daycare.

'_Perhaps I will take him to the park,' _Hermione thought as she opened the doors to the daycare center.

"Ms. Granger!" the woman behind the counter said excitedly," What are you doing here? Asher was picked up hours ago."

Hermione panicked.

"What? Who? When?" Hermione was completely confused. Who had taken Asher… there was no one on the list who could pick him up besides her, or so she thought.

"Umm… he was picked up around lunch time, by an attractive young man," the woman said quickly.

"Wait… huh? Where is my son? He is supposed to be here! Did the man say his name?"

"Why of course. He was on the list, Hermione."

"No one but me is on that list!" Hermione put her hand to her forehead and began breathing deeply and quickly. She was flipping out.

"No… there is a… I can't remember his name. Hold on I will look it up. He had red hair, like your son's. He was gorgeous. Do you..?"

"Ron…" Hermione said quietly but loud enough so the woman could hear," you think he is gorgeous?"

Hermione hadn't noticed in a while… he was gorgeous. Ron was tall, 6'2, and he had a well toned body from quidditch.

"Yeah. He…" the woman's eyes went into a dreamy state as if she was fantasizing and she probably was.

"Could you uh stop with that?" Hermione asked getting annoyed at the constant mention of Ron's good looks and the look on that woman's face," And, I will see you later."

Hermione left the place quickly, and in a bad mood. How could he just come and take her son without telling her? Hermione made her way home, so she could apparate to his place and give him a piece of her mind.

The whole walk home, because Hermione had no need for a car, she just got angrier.

'_He should have at least told me first. Or written a note or something. When I get a hold of him, I swear I am going to kill him.'_

She got closer and closer with each step, and occasionally knocking into people who got in her way, she was on a war path, and it was not pretty. What would she even say to him? After what happened last night she didn't know if she could even talk to him with a straight face.

But as she approached her apartment building another thought occurred to her… he was spending time with their child. Hermione wasn't daft or one to be trifled with, she needed proof. She needed to make sure that he didn't just pawn Asher off on Ginny and Harry.

Ginny and Harry were in their own relationship. They had been married for about two years, and had a young child of their own. They had had a girl, and she was basically Asher's age, with a marvelous name. Lilian Joyce Potter. Lily for short. They had named her purposely after Harry's mom.

As soon as Hermione stepped into her apartment, she found a note on the table from Ron.

_Dear Hermione,_

_I hope you realized the fact that you had taken Asher to daycare, would not stop me from taking him today. I did and still do wish to spend the day with him, and your little antic caused quite a few problems. I will bring him back tomorrow night. As you can tell, I have been in your apartment, so yes I do have his stuff. There is no need for you to come barging into my home, so you can search through things or take Asher. He is my son as much as he is yours._

_I love him, and I do love you Hermione. We just have our differences, and it is blatenly obvious that we just aren't meant to be together anymore. I hope that we can still remain civil to one another, and continue our lives in an orderly fashion despite our fight and what has happened. We live in different worlds…literally. _

_Maybe we should just look for love elsewhere, with different people. I know this will be hard, it is hard for me, but I don't want to fight with you anymore. I love my job a lot. I love Asher, and I still love you, but this is just the way it is going to be. My job is time conuming as is yours. I won't give up my job, and I won't let you give up yours. _

_Best of luck and love,_

_Ronald B. Weasley._

_P.S: I will send an owl by later so you can reply, so I know you got this letter. The owl will just have a copy of this letter. It will also have a portkey so if you would like to make sure Asher is in his full health or so you can respond orally you can._

Hermione glanced over the letter again. He was full of it, Hermione thought, and she just loved the fact that he made himself sound perfect. It also made her sick how he put his job in front of everything.

_If he still loved me, he wouldn't want to see other people. _

**A/N: Please review and tell me what you think. **


	5. The Queen Of Sluts?

**A/N: This chapter is probably going to be short, but I think your going to like it. **

**Chapter Five**

Ron did, indeed, hold up on his end of the bargain that he made himself. Hermione didn't know if he was upset, but she did know, well think rather, that he single-handedly flushed their relationship town the tube. Mind you, Hermione was not perfect in their relationship but she was willing to work on it, and sacrifice everything to make it work.

He sent an owl, with the same letter Hermione had read earlier and a necklace that was the portkey. Or so she read. As soon as she touched the necklace she would be transported to Ron's. Although she could apparate if she wanted, she just touched the necklace, not caring if it was a trick. She felt an odd tug behind her naval, and she felt herself hurtling through space, or something. It was all too rapid; she suddenly flew onto the ground in Ron's apartment.

She looked around, but didn't see anyone in the house. Suddenly she heard a baby cry… Asher. Hermione quickly followed the noise into a bedroom where Asher was lying on a large bed with his blanket in his hands. Asher saw Hermione and put his arms out. Hermione picked him up quickly, Asher resting his head on her shoulder as he sucked his thumb, and began searching for Ron.

Looking around the apartment Hermione heard a sudden noise, it sounded like a muffled scream. It was coming from one of the rooms in the apartment. Hermione began approaching it in uncertainty. She knew what she thought was happening, but she didn't want to believe it so she just opened the door figuring it was just her imagination. But before she opened the door, she imaged herself opeing it and all the evil flowing from it as it happened. She was Pandora from the muggle story, but soon she just got over herself and opened the door.

The door opened in one swift fluid motion. It was so sudden that at first Hermione could not tell what was going, and when she could she nearly dropped her baby. Her heart was shattering into one million tiny pieces. She just stood there for a couple of moments… letting everything settle in her mind. Ron was in that room alright, and he was not alone. He was with another woman, which technically speaking was okay. Ron and Hermione had ended things, but Hermione still felt sick, and suddenly before she could turn around and leave it came up. Not words. Not gasps. But throw up.

Hermione had had her heart broken before, but it was obviously different then, and for two reasons and those reasons were simpe. She didn't get phycically ill and it was a different scenario. It was at Hogwarts, she was dating a Hufflepuff, and she caught him having sex.

As she stood in front of the door, throwing up, with the baby still in her arm Ron and the mystery woman looked up. Asher was now screaming and pushing away from his mom, in hopes of getting away from the nasty smelling substance that was now coming from her mouth.

Ron literally jumped up and hit the ceiling when he looked up and saw Hermione throwing up as she watched him makeout with another woman. They weren't even having sex!

"Hermione…" Ron said as he ran over to her picking her up along with the screaming child and carrying her into the living room.

"Don't touch me," Hermione wimpered as she wiped off her mouth, and grossly enough wiped it on Ron's shirt. He looked at her in disgust, but she didn't care. She now hated him and she didn't even think that was possible.

"Look, I am sorry," Ron said lifting her chin up and ignoring the child that was still screaming.

"Why? For dumping me, the woman you had a baby with, for this… slut?" Hermione said gesturing to the woman who was now standing in the bedroom doorway looking on them. Asher had now managed to push away… he dropped on the ground and instantly stopped screaming. He starting running to the kitchen, but the woman picked him up, and he started screaming again. Hermione shot her a vicious stare.

"That's not fair 'Mione."

"Just shut the fuck up, Ron," Hermione said, standing up, but Ron suddenly pushed her back.

"Did you read my letter? We aren't together anymore. Why are you so upset?" Ron said, beginning to sound angry.

"Because we have been seeing each other for what? Eight years, and we break up and on that same day you are already seeing another woman? Not only that, while you were busy making out with this woman… slut… whatever you call her, your child was crying in the next room." Hermione said angrily, standing up and making her way over to the woman who was still holding Asher despite Hermione's glare.

"Don't touch my child," Hermione spat grabbing the child from her," and I am taking him home."

With that Hermione apparated home, Asher was now calm and at bay, but inside of Hermione it was like a raging war…

**A/N: I refuse to update until I get SIX reviews for this chapter. hehe.**


	6. It’s A Whopper

**A/N: First of all I would like to thank all of you for reviewing. It really helps me know what you're thinking about the story. Anyway here is chapter six. This one is going to be a little… hard to write so please don't hold it against me if it isn't very good. **

**Chapter Six **

"Hermione, I need you to get down here as quick as possible," Sam Brody, her partner from work, said heavily. It was four in the morning and Hermione was hardly awake when she picked up the phone.

"What? What's going on?" Hermione sat up straight and saw Asher standing in the doorway crying.

"We have a case…."

"Can this possibly wait until tomorrow? I am having a problem right now," Hermione said while standing up and rushing over to Asher.

"Well I suppose… be in the office by six," Sam said eagerly," I feel this could be a good one."

"I can't be in the office by six. I don't have anywhere to take Asher," Hermione said softly, picking Asher up and walking back towards her bed.

"Can't he go with Ron or something…? I mean this is big, and we need this. Please 'Mione I am begging you." Sam was too good at convincing people for his own good.

Hermione, feeling defeated, finally gave in, but mostly due to the fact that Asher was still hysterical," Yeah sure. It would be good for him anyway. I will be there by six."

Hermione placed the phone on her bedside table and directed her attention to Asher, who was now rubbing his eyes and looking down. Hermione leaned back against the headboard, and pulled Asher into her lap.

"What happened baby?" Hermione asked putting her hand on his forehead, and pushing the hair out of his eyes.

"Bad dweam," the little boy breathed. He bad dreams quite often… night terrors even. It was exhausting for Hermione, but she suddenly thought of a way to cheer Asher up.

"Want to go see daddy?"

"Yeah!" the little boy squealed standing up and turning around to give his mother a big hug.

"Okay let's go get ready then," Hermione stood up and quickly got ready for work as Asher lay on the bed watching cartoons. Once completely ready Hermione gathered up all of the things Asher would need. She really didn't want to see Ron. It was embarrassing for her, but… she did need the case, and she had to be on time.

Hermione, looking at the clock, gasped and quickly grabbed Asher and much to her dismay apparated to Ron's.

"Ron!" she called," Get your butt out her now and watch your son." Hermione heard a crash come from one of the rooms and laughed to herself… it was fun pissing Ron off, and she knew this would.

"What the hell are you doing here at this time in the morning?" Ron said angrily.

"I need you to take him," Hermione gave Asher a quick kiss on the head, and quickly put him and his things down so she could apparate away before Ron could refuse.

OOOOOO

"Oh Hermione! Thank god you're here!" Sam said, feeling relieved.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Hermione looked around anxiously.

"There is woman, Marcie Flamhouser, and her sixteen year old daughter is dating a twenty-one year old male. The mother wants to press charges for statutory rape."

"You woke me up in the middle of the night… for that?" Hermione asked, shocked.

"Well, yeah. There is more, the daughter refuses to get an examination proving that she and her boyfriend had sex. Her mom is livid, and is trying to get a restraining order, so that they can no longer see one another. I talked to her this morning."

"If the daughter refuses to get examined there is nothing we can do. It is legally her choice. The restraining order… won't happen either unless there is a legitimate reason, and let me tell you her reasoning is not legit." Hermione began angrily," So not only did you wake me up me up at four in the morning for a case, you woke me up for a case that doesn't even have to be solved, because it is basically just because of a scorned mother who wants revenge on her daughter?"

Sam just stared at Hermione before saying," It is still possibly a case, and we still have to treat is as one."

"How so?"

"The mother has forbid her daughter from seeing the man, and we think that that may pose as a threat for---"

"Granger! Brody! Get your asses down to the Flamhouser house now!" Greg yelled into their office.

"Why what's going on?" Sam asked jumping out of his seat and rushing to the door, followed by a very startled Hermione.

"There have been some reports of incessant noise coming from their apartment, and I want your asses down their now! You should have dealt with this earlier like I instructed," he yelled. Hermione and Sam just looked at each other… eyes wide and they were both thinking the same thing:

_My boss is a complete nutcase. _

**A/N: Okay, I was going to make this chapter longer, but I decided to make you all wait. Give me a lot of reviews and I will update before I go out of town for like a month this weekend.**


	7. The Truth Will Not Always Set You Free

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I would like to answer the questions that have been asked and I would like to comment on some of them. **

**-47SydneyVaughn74-**** this is a really great story! please update soon because i want to know more about it! keep up the great work, alright?**

**I can try. I am really into this story so I think it will turn out pretty well. **

**hermione weasley1991**** nice job. is ron cheating on ron? are they married? how did asher happen? well i know how but like were they dating when it happend ect?**

**I answered all of those questions in previous chapters, but yes they were dating. Asher was a mistake, but now that they have him they love him, like most parents. Only Ron just doesn't understand how to take care of the child.**

**Zarroc**** good chapter,**

**will they end up getting together?**

**i really hope so  
Asher sounds really cute!  
keep reading and writing and post next chapters soon  
-Zarroc-**

**Your going to have to read to find out. Sorry.**

**Fgassss it was cool but when are hermione and ron going to get to gether?**

**Ron and Hermione will get together when I want them to if I want them to at all. **

**Chapter Seven **

It was a well known thing that Ronald Weasley was a bad father, so why was everyone surprised when they found out he and Hermione had split because of it? They were surprised mainly because this was Ron. He was supposed to be a good father not some self centered quidditch star. Molly was infuriated when she found out the news.

"Ronald Weasley! What have you done to Hermione and my grandchild? Leaving them all alone like this. What are you thinking?"

"Mum this isn't your problem," Ron said standing up from the dinner table. He had to admit everything was plain without Hermione. He used to look forward to visiting them and now he had nothing to look forward to. Not even the easy girls that followed him around could lighten up his day.

'_Why am I such an idiot?' _Ron would ask himself all the time.

'_Because I am a self righteous arse, that's why.' _He would answer himself. He knew he should have taken the commitment. This was Hermione. They were supposed to be together.

'_I should have taken the fucking commitment. This is what I wanted!' _

He had wanted it, and that is what made the whole thing so bizarre. He had always wanted to be with Hermione. To marry her even. Then she went off the muggle college and… some things changed, yet even then he wanted to be with her more than anything. And when she took the muggle career he still wanted her just as much. When she was pregnant with Asher he wanted to be with her even more. He had always wanted a family of his own… and he had it. He screwed it up…

He lost everything he wanted just for his job and the thought of something better. Which was crazy… because there was nothing better for him… now he just needed to realize that.

---

Blood covered the walls in thick lines. It stained the carpet. It was in blobs on the ceiling. It was blatantly obvious that someone had been beaten to a bloody pulp here. The body wasn't so easy to find. It had been stashed into a closet. It was the mother, Marcie Flamhouser. Hermione looked around in awe it was all too familiar for her to even grasp.

Sam had walked into the back of the apartment and soon came back with a big leather coat that obviously belonged to the daughter's boyfriend.

"'Mione look here. Maybe the boyfriend killed the mom. This is his coat," Sam said.

"We don't know that. We need to find the daughter, what's her name again? And the boyfriend and bring them to the office."

About an hour later they figured out that the boyfriend, Tim, had taken the girl dragged her kicking and screaming into his vehicle. Witnesses said they both had blood on their clothing.

Hermione and Sam had tracked them down by Tim's cell phone. Each were now questioned but it made no sense. They were obviously lying. Then Hermione found out more information.

"Apparently, they had been talking to one another on the phone while he was at work. They record all of those conversations. He didn't kill the mom… the daughter did."

"Wow.." Sam said," I guess that's all the proof we need."

"No, I am going to get it out of her." Hermione walked inside the square room and sat down across from the stubborn teenager.

"You killed her didn't you?"

"No," Anne said defiantly looking down tears streaming from her face.

"Letting your boyfriend take the blame isn't going to accomplish anything. We already know the truth," Hermione countered.

"He didn't do it," the girl said looking up with a funny expression. Tim had been taking the blame even though she did it, but Hermione needed to know something else.

"Well he says he did," Hermione said. Anne didn't open her mouth she just sat there looking around.

"She beat you didn't she?" Hermione asked. The girl looked up, and before she could answer her attorney walked in. She had white hair and grey eyes… she had the sternest look on her face.

"Anne you don't have to answer anything," the woman said.

"Didn't she?" Hermione practically yelled.

The woman grabbed Anne's hand but before they left the room Anne said quietly," Yes."

The white haired woman stopped in her tracks and Hermione suddenly felt herself getting dizzy as she had a flashback of some of the things she just wanted to forget….

**A/N: Short, I know, but I am going to start on chapter eight right away.**


	8. Breaking

**Chapter Eight **

The flashback consumed Hermione's body. It drew her back to the life of despair she once had.

_Her parents were fighting as they always were. Except this time it was worse. Hermione tried to break them up as she always did, but that only made them angrier. Her mom began to scream nasty things at her and soon her dad joined in. They then began to beat her. _

_After a while… they stopped, only to fight some more. Sixteen year old Hermione watched as her mother pulled a gun out of her bag. She pointed it at her father and before Hermione could react there was a loud bang and her father was crumbling to the ground in pain. Her mom then began kicking him in his side… then she slowly looked up at Hermione._

"_This is your entire fault you little bitch," her mom spat._

"_I—I'm sorry," Hermione stuttered as her mother made her way closer to her. Hermione was already covered in blood and bruises and she ached with pain. Her mother swung her leg back and kicked Hermione in the ribs… there was a sharp cracking sound. _

_Hermione tried to reach for the phone to call the police but her mother then kicked the phone out of reach. Her mom soon realized what she was doing and sunk into the couch in a hysterical fit, before standing back up and reaching for the gun that was lying on the floor._

_She first pointed the gun right at Hermione, and then she pointed it to herself and pulled the trigger without even thinking. Hermione sat there as her mother died having no idea where to go. No one knew of her problem and she had wanted to keep it that way. She had been so good at hiding it… and her parents had been too. They faked the perfect family flawlessly. _

_Hermione searched through her brain of places she could go… Ron. Ron was her answer. But before she left for the Weasley's she called the police and explained what had happened. She told them she had a place to go and would be gone before they got there. After slowly hanging up the phone, the distraught sixteen year old apparated to the Weasley's driveway. It was a very long driveway which would give her time to think of how to explain. She didn't even know what would happen and she didn't care, because she almost knew that they would help her no matter what. _

_It was so late she knew everyone would be asleep… she debated sitting outside until morning, but then decided to just go seek out Ginny, so she slowly opened the front door and stepped inside. She immediately noticed a light in the kitchen. She tried to quietly go up the stairs without being noticed by whoever was in the kitchen, but suddenly one of the stairs gave a loud creak. She stopped in her tracks and was about to continue to ascend up the stairs when she heard Ron's voice._

"_Hermione?" _

_She slowly turned around allowing him to see her bruised and tarnished body. _

"_Merlin! 'Mione what happened to you?" _

"_I-I… don't feel like talking about it Ron..." she mumbled starting to cry. _

_Ron made his way towards her and slowly led her back down the stairs before she woke anyone up. When they got to the bottom of the stairs she stopped and slowly sank down onto the floor and began hugging her knees, still crying loudly._

"_Hermione… come on. Let's..." he stopped his sentence figuring there was no use and bent down and picked her up. He carried her into the family room and sat down in a chair and slowly began rocking her back and forth in an attempt to comfort her…_

_It was killing him that this had happened to her, even if he didn't know how it happened… it did._

"I can't do this anymore," Hermione told her boss," take me off the case."

"But Hermione... I can't do that."

"Then, I quit," Hermione didn't even wait for his reply she picked up her purse and made her way out of the building. She couldn't prosecute that girl… she just couldn't. Especially since she knew how she felt.

Ron had Asher and Hermione was now sunk into a chair at a close by bar. Someone soon sat down beside her and she looked up and saw Sam. He was looking at her as if she had broken his heart.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because I know what its like to be beaten by your parents…" Hermione said downing the glass of beer that was in front of her.

"I know… but you didn't kill them," Sam said misunderstanding what she was saying.

"Yeah, but I know what its like to want to."

**A/n: There you go. It's short, sweet, and to the point. Haha.. tell me what you think. Bad, good, in-between? Too depressing? Too lame? I like to know these things, and once again sorry for not updating quicker. **


	9. Dream Life

**Author's Note: Hey, guys. This IS new. I combined chapter nine and ten. It is short, and it is the last chapter. I hope you like it. I am so sorry I never updated and left you guys hanging. I'm sorry that this chapter is short, I don't remember what I was going to do for chapter ten, so I did what I wanted to. Made it short, and made sure I finished it so I wouldn't leave you guys hanging again. Thanks for everything guys! **

**Chapter Nine**

Hermione felt trapped, she felt suppressed by her hectic life. Asher all of a sudden constantly having all of her attention killed her. She had practically allowed the daycare center raise him for her for the past year. Sure it was a mistake but done none the less. It's not like Ron was willing to take him that often and now ever since the little incident where he decided to neglect their child for a woman Hermione wasn't willing to let him take the child.

Hermione loved Ron to death, but somewhere after their careers and before Asher came along they had to grow up and they had to grow up quick. Sure, they could still be young and carefree and raise their child at the same time, but who was to say things would work? Just because you love someone doesn't necessarily mean things work out the way you want them to.

But, in a fantasy world… it would be great. We could look exactly the way we want to, and be exactly who we want to be, and be with who we want despite the differences and despite the pain. Despite the loss of connection along the way, because that could always be picked back up in time and everything could be restored. But could we forgive the lies?

It all added up in Hermione's head, and she knew that nothing would ever be quite the same, but pretty damn close. You never get the dream life, but sometimes you just get so close it doesn't matter, which Hermione realized.

Ron and she were a problem that had no good solution, a problem where the solutions were the problem. But suppose for a minute that they could work through the problems it would bring them? Could it work? Could it be great?

It was this sort of thinking that brought Hermione to Ron's apartment. Granted she was just standing stupidly at his door as if she didn't know how to knock, but the excitement in her was apparent. It glowed in her eyes. Yet she was about to do something completely dumb… lame even.

So once her fist finally collided with the cold wood of the door, and when the door slung open, and when Hermione saw that bright red hair she couldn't control her actions…

Hermione was all over Ron within seconds. She hugged him so tight; he didn't think it was even possible to breath. Ron was startled by what was going on, Hermione was literally throwing herself at him. Hermione didn't expect it, but soon Ron wrapped his hands around her and rested his chin on her head.

"I love you, Ronald," Hermione mumbled into his chest.

"Oh, "Mione. I love you too. I love you too. And I want you to know that I am sorry about everything. I was wrong… I'm never letting you go again," and with that Ron scooped her up into his arms and carried her into his apartment. He sat down on the couch, Hermione still in his arms; all he wanted to do was hold her. If Ron knew one thing, it was that he was never letting Hermione and Asher go again. They were his family and he could only think of his future in one way, and that was being happy with them. Sure there would be problems along the way, but he only viewed them as small bumps in the road.

"Hermione… I want… I want you and Asher to move in with me," Ron said, resituating himself so that Hermione was still in his arms.

"In this small apartment?" Hermione laughed at the thought. She snuggled as close to him as she could get.

"Fine! Let's go get a house! Or… something. 'Mione, I want to be with you and my son. I love you both so much, and I feel so stupid for messing things up. I want to make it all right," Ron muttered sadly.

"Aw, sweetheart, it's okay. The most important thing is that it worked out. We both messed it up, and sure it was stupid, but at least we fixed it… and the way I see it, I couldn't be any happier," Hermione said as she curled up on the couch, her head resting on Ron's lap.

Hermione soon fell asleep, and Ron smiled. She was right, and he was grateful that he had her. Ron never knew what tomorrow would bring, but he couldn't be happier if his feelings for her never faded.

**The End. **


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